As the saying goes, haters will hate, but that does not faze Danielle Collins. She may have left the Show Court Arena with fans upset over her words, but she’s not bearing the brunt of it just yet. Having taken down home favorite Destanee Aiava in a tough three-set battle that saw medical timeouts and disapproval of the fans at the arena, she is now on her way to the next round of the Australian Open. But while the crowd did not favor the American star, the same cannot be said for the Australian Open organizers.

After a contentious second-round victory over Australian player Destanee Aiava at the 2025 Australian Open, Danielle Collins playfully engaged with the booing crowd, blowing kisses and exclaiming, “How about that?!” During her on-court interview, she seized the moment to cheekily remark, “I might as well take that big fat paycheck!” for her 7-6, 4-6, 6-2 win, which netted her 290,000 AUD (approximately $180,000).

Collins humorously noted that part of her prize money would fund a luxurious vacation with fellow player Coco Vandeweghe, showcasing her ability to thrive on the court amid a hostile atmosphere. The 30-year-old turned the crowd’s jeers into a source of motivation for herself.

The Australian Open organizers, in the meantime, don’t seem to share the fans’ sentiments. Later on Thursday, Danielle took to her Instagram story to share a delightful surprise. She unveiled a stylish travel bag from July, created in collaboration with the Australian Open ahead of the tournament. Inside were goodies galore: Mecca beauty products, an adorable koala plushie, and some exclusive AO merchandise tucked into a smaller netted pouch. She captioned the post, “Thank you @australianopen for the sweetest gift. What a sweet treat to receive tonight @meccabeauty @july.” This was quite the turnaround after facing backlash just hours earlier for her playful antics on the court.

Looking ahead, Collins is excited about her next match. She previously reached the finals of the Australian Open in 2022 and now hopes to channel that energy this year. Although she took time off last year to focus on starting a family and faced health complications that led to her return in October, she’s ready to compete fiercely.

Collins’ ongoing feud with Iga Swiatek only adds to her determination; she remains undeterred by any repercussions from her actions on and off the court. But what’s that feud all about?

Collin’s reaction to World No.2 that sparked controversy

Hours before Team USA celebrated their victory at the United Cup against Team Poland, Danielle Collins’ eye roll during a handshake with Iga Swiatek went viral. The moment sparked speculation about the underlying tension between the two players. Many fans connected her reaction to her feud with the Pole from the Paris Olympics last year, questioning whether Collins was making a statement about the situation. To add fuel to the fire, she later shared a zoomed-in shot of her eye roll on Instagram, declaring, “New year, same me,” which only intensified the scrutiny.

At a press conference ahead of the 2025 Australian Open, where she is set to face Daria Snigur, Collins addressed the viral moment head-on. “Most of us are pretty cool about shaking hands with each other at the end of the day. I’m a human. I have situations I like, situations I don’t like, things that happen,” she explained. Her candidness is refreshing in a sport often marked by carefully curated images and polite facades. She acknowledged the memes circulating online, stating, “My face says it all! But I’m just somebody that’s pretty genuine about what I’m thinking and feeling.”

Collins didn’t shy away from poking fun at herself either. She updated her profile picture to feature her eye roll moment and shared on her IG story, “Sometimes I just gotta laugh at myself.” Despite fans assuming her expression reflected animosity toward Swiatek, Collins clarified that her reaction stemmed more from her own feelings at that moment rather than any personal rivalry.

Now as she gears up for her next match against Madison Keys, Collins seems ready to leave behind the drama of the United Cup. With her reputation for stirring things up on and off the court, fans are left wondering: will her next matchh be free of controversy?